Bnet36

I don't vote because I am a PR however I have always wondered how other Brits living here identify themselves - Republican or Democrat.

Are we in general more liberal just because of the system we grew up in back home? Do people change the longer they live here?

BTW - I hate to be pegged into one political group. I have always thought that one should base his/her vote on what that candidate brings to the table.

rpjs

As I see it, the choice here is equivalent to that between the Tories and the BNP...

sir_eccles

The concept of being a registered DEM or REP or occasionally Libertarian or Green depending on availability (I'm actually registered IND) is I think very alien to British voters.

Often you will find people have picked their party somewhat arbitrarily "because they have always been a <blank>" or "well my father was <blank> and so was his father".

The odd thing right now is that taking the GOP in particular, it is not the old GOP of for argument's sake pre-Reagan. That was very much a real fiscal conservative party. Now it is more social conservative being infiltrated by the Christian right and the Tea-party. Many still vote as if it was the GOP of old and that inertia or loyalty to not confront what their party has become is annoying.

In conclusion, I try not to talk politics with my father in law.

Hotscot

In the past I leaned towards Dem but now I'm very unhappy with both sides.

I wish we could do away with labels and vote only on policies.

I detest the CA government.

Bnet36

Sounds about right. I wish it wasn't that way but it is.

Uncle_Bob

In America you are supposed to vote for whoever has the most posted campaign signs at the side of the streets and in peoples front yards.

Bnet36

I try and avoid politics with almost everyone now. I am in the south so it's a lose lose situation - no discussions is had with an open mind. I try and view both sides but as you said generations follow blindly here just because their fathers father belonged to that party. Voters don't realize how much power their vote would have if they voted on content. It wouldn't be a guaranteed vote for some of these idiots in government.

Bnet36

or stickers on the back of cars with all the terrible comments as if we all would be brainwashed into believing them.

Bnet36

I agree with you.

SDDep

With which one being which??

Being a moderate fence sitter is hard here. Both major parties are replete with clowns, which is the same as some other countries I would imagine.

kimilseung

Kshama Sawant's (member of Seattle City council) Socialist Alternative has been a breath of fresh air.

scrubbedexpat091

I am not British, and I don't actively support either party, and I vote for the candidate I feel is best suited for the job. Sometimes its a democrat and sometimes its a republican, and sometimes its neither party. All depends on who is on the ballot. I am not in the US so I can only vote in federal elections now.

I don't know too many American's who vote by party, everyone I know votes for the person they want in.

Sally Redux

I would have voted Democrat. I always think it does make a small difference, even if a party isn't perfect, one will do more good (or less harm) than another. I think Jerry Brown has done better than Meg Whitman would have for California. I cannot even get my head around the Tea Party nutters.

Judging by BE, there are some Brits who go native politically, but the ones I met personally over there had retained our more 'liberal' legacy, as far as one could tell.

Giantaxe

I'm registered as an independent for this precise reason. California has "open primaries" anyway except for the Presidential election. For that, parties can choose whether they allow independents to vote in their primary. In '08 and '12 the Democratic Party primary allowed this but not the Republican iirc.

Bnet36

Me too and that goes for almost all other expats I have met from all over the globe.